Ejection means for draw presses



April 15, 1963 c. M. KWALSKI 3,085,531

EJEcTIoN MEANS FOR DRAW PRESSES Filed July l5, 1959 s u, 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1963 c. M. KoWALsKl 3,085,531

EJECTION MEANS FOR DRAW PRESSES April 16, 1963 c. M. KowALsKl 3,085,531

EJECTION MEANS FOR DRAW PRESSES Filed July 15, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /UVEH [UF AUnited States Patent O Ware Filed duly 15, 1959, Ser. No. 827,237 4 Claims. (Cl. 113-50) The present invention relates broadly to the art of metal shaping, and is more particularly concerned with novel means for ejecting parts from draw presses and the like and which features accurately guiding stock to a die and in a position relative to a part being formed therein whereby when part formation has been accompli-shed the shaped article is automatically ejected from between the mating die surfaces.

It `is an important aim of the present invention to provide means for ready attachment to a draw press or the like and which incorporates Itherein stock engaging surfaces arranged with respect to one another to locate one portion of the stock in adjacent and spaced relation relative to a pair of die surfaces, whereby after part formation by the surfaces `the part is contacted by the spaced stock portion and ejected from between the die surfaces.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of metal shaping apparatus 4and which embodies mating forming means and a shearing surface adjacent thereto, and means guiding continuous metal stock with one end thereof flexed into an elevated position, whereby as the forming means is actuated the continuous stock is severed by the shearing means to provide an elevated end portion on the stock in ready position for -advancement toward the formed part to remove the same from the forming means.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide stock feed ejection means requiring no manual attention on the part of the operator for effective results, and which is readily adjustable for use with die members of varying contours -in the production of a wide variety iof sheet metal articles.

A further object of -this invention llies in the provision of ejection means for formed metal parts utilizing the stock 'to be formed as the ejection force, and which essentially entirely eliminates any hand removal of the formed part and prevents damage thereto of the character encountered when the formed parts must be removed by tools and like devices.

A further object of Ithe invention is to provide ejection apparatus for formed metal parts and which features support means for attachment to forming apparatus adjacent the shaping surfaces thereof, and .a plurality of stock guiding surfaces |on the support mean-s, one of the guiding surfaces being disposed above .the other and being positioned relatively more closely one to the other at their dischange ends than at their stock receiving ends to clampingly engage the stock at the discharge ends and provide an entrant mouth at their receiving ends, the leading edge of the stock at the discharge ends of the guiding surfaces being thereby spaced between the shaping surfaces outwardly lthereof when said surfaces are in the lopen position, whereby the leading edge of the stock contacts the formed part between the shaping surfaces upon adv-ancement of the stock to eject said part from between the shaping surfaces.

A still further object of this invention lies in the provision of a method of ejecting formed par-ts from between shaping members, which comprises advancing a continuous length of sheet metal stock along an inclined path toward the shaping members while applying a flexing force to said stock to deflect one end thereof to a position generally in horizontal alignment with a formed part as produced by action `of the shaping members, movnice ing the shaping members one toward the other with stock therebetween to form a part while simultaneously severing the part from the deflected stock end, and advancing the severed stock toward the part to contact the body of the part intermediate its height with the deiiected end of the stock to eject the par-t from between the shaping members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will become more apparent during the course of the vfollowing description, particularly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein parts throughout the same:

FIGURE l isa side elevational view yof ejection means constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention in association -With an exemplary form of die apparatus, shown with parts thereof in section and in the closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the same general character as FlGURE 1, and with the shaping surfaces of the die -assembly in an open position to show the deflected end of the stock in a position for ejection of the formed parts;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the guiding and ejection mea-ns; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of the means of FIG- URE 3.

During the course of the description now to follow reference will frequently be made to use of the instant invention in the production of automotive wheel covers. While the invention is shown and described in this environment by reason of the particularly successful results obtained Itherefrom in the ejection of wheel structures, it will be appreciated that the invention is not so limited and those well versed in the metal shaping art will immediately conceive of additional applications therefor.

Referring now lfirst to FIGURES l and 2, there is shown stock feed ejection means generally designated by the numeral 210 in association with a draw press or die apparatus designated in its entirety at 11. The die apparatus 11 may comprise a stationary mounting base 12 having a pocket or recess 13 formed therein receiving a die support members 14 and which mounts stationary shaping members 15 and 16. Movable relative to the supporting base 12 and die members =15 and 16 erected thereon is a pair of shaping means 17 and 118 contoured along their lower faces for mating contact with the upper surfaces of the die members 15 and 16 to produce a wheel cover blank 19 of the configuration shown. The upper die member 17 may be seen to have formed thereon an annular bead 20 which produces a draw ring in cooperation with an annular recess 21 in movable die portion 22 which travels downwardlyV with die portion 23 during `formation of the wheel cover blank 19.

Movable with the upper die members 17 and 18 and abutting therea'gainst is a die portion 24 having a cylindrical bore Z5 therein receiving a spring 26 resiliently acting against a head 27 on plunger shank 2,8. The plunger shank 28 is slidable within a bore 29 in a shearing collar 30, which may be seen to be provided with a downwardly extending shearing surface 31 which acts against surface 32. on a cooperating lower shear member 33 to sever the part to be formed from stock S essentially immediately after the annular bead 2li on die member 17 makes contact with the stock to be shaped and located within the die cavity defined by the described shaping members. As Will be described more fully in connection with a later description of the steps of the instant method, the plunger member 28 functions to hold the advancing end of the stock S against upper surface 34 of the die member 33 as the severed length of stock is being shaped in the die assembly 11.

The stock feed ejection means 10 is mounted by the like numerals designate like die assembly 1.1` at a location thereon `to assure that the leading end of the stock S will be positioned relative to the formed part 119 essentially as shown in FIGURE 2. By `this invention the leading end of the stock is elevated or flexed to a raised position above the surface 34 of the shearing member 33 so that as the stock advances forwardly, subsequent to forming the part as shown in FIGURE 2, a radially outwardly extending segment 19a of `the cover 19 will be contacted by the stock leading marginal edge at a point along the segment 19a between crest 1% and base 19e of said segment 19a. Preferably, the leading marginal edge of the stock S will strike the segment 19a generally midway of its height to eject the formed part 19 from between the shaping surfaces of the die assembly 11. Thereby, the earlier diticulty of the leading edge of the stock traveling beneath marginal flange 19d of the wheel cover and interrupting the forming operation is avoided.

To accomplish the novel ejecting action briefly described, the stock feed ejection means 1G preferably comprises a pair of spaced support members 35 and 36 (FIG- URE 3) which may take the `form of shaped flanges of generally right angular conguration and each having a horizontal portion 37 connecting with a vertical portion 38. The flange vertical portion 33 of each support member is attached to the die assembly 11 along an outer wall 12a of the supporting base 12 by bolt means or the like 39. The horizontal mounting portion 37 of each support member may be seen `from FIGURES 1 and 2 to lie generally horizontally flush with upper surface 12b of the die base 12.

Attached by bolt means or the like 40 (FIGURE 3) to the horizontal portion 37 of each support flange 3:3' and 36 is a first or lower pair of spaced supporting bars 41 and 42 extending transversely or crosswise of the direction of travel of the stock S. At opposite ends of each support bar 41 and 42 is mounted a spacer block 43 and 44 and extending thereacross upon their upper surfaces is a second or upper pair of support bars 45 and 46. The support bars 45 and 46 are generally in vertical alignment with the lower bars 41 and 42, and the attaching means for the upper pair of bars 45 and 46 may take the form of screw or bolt means 47 passing through the support bars 45 and 46 and through the spacer blocks 43 and 44 into the lower pair of support bars 41 and 42.

Mounted by each lower support bar 41 and 42 is a pair of transversely spaced lower guide members 48 and 49 preferably provided by metal rod stock. Each lower guide member .48 and 49 is of round cross-section and is attached to each lower support member 41 and 42 by screw means or the like 50 which further provide a variable vertical adjustment along the length of the guide members 48 and 49, whereby said members can be located in an inclined plane with their stock receiving ends 48a and 49a relatively lower than their stock delivery ends 4812 and 49b.

Secured to the lower surfaces of the upper support bars 45 and 46 and transversely spaced from the guide members 48 and 49 is a guide member 51. The guide member 51 may be mounted by the support rods 45 and 46 through the use of screw means 52, and the guide means 51 may be vertically adjustable in a horizontal plane to vary the flexing force `on the stock S, as will be later described. As shown in FIGURE 2, stock receiving end 51a of the guide member 51 is tapered as at 51e along a portion of its length, and thereby a wedgeshaped entrant mouth 53 is provided with the upper surfaces of the guide members 4S and 49 to facilitate di rection of the stock S into and through the stock feed ejection means 10. The stock delivery end 51b may be seen in FIGURE 3 to be of round cross-section as contrasted with the tapered stock receiving end 51a, and it may be noted in FIGURES l and 2 that the upper suri the segment l center guide member 51 face of the guide member 51 is generally parallel with the spacer blocks 43 and 44 and with the horizontal portion 37 of each supporting flange 35 and 36.

It may now be seen that during continuous operation of the stock feed ejection means 10 and die assembly 11 stock enters the ejection device 10 through the entrant mouth 53 between the stock receiving ends 48a, 49a and 51a of the longitudinally extending guide members 48, 49 and S1. By provision of the tapered surface 51e on the Aguide member 51 the stock is effectively aligned with the relatively shallow path between the downstream portions of the named guide members. The stock thereby follows an upwardly inclined path provided by the inclined guide members 48 and 49 and the horizontal member 51. Upon passing beyond the point at which the tapered surface 51e on the central `guide member 51 terminates, the stock S is subjected to a gradually increasing longitudinal and transverse deflection to ultimately place leading end S-1 of the stock in an elevated tensioned position spaced upwardly from the surface 34 of t-he shearing member 33 and generally horizontally aligned with an intermediate point on the segment 19a of the formed cover 19, as shown in FIGURE 2.

More specifically, as the stock S continues its travel in the ejection means 10 and is passing in sliding contact with the guide members 48, 49 and 51 generally in the region of the transverse supports 41, 42, 45 and 46, the stock is tensioned transversely by forces exerted by the guide members 48, 49 and 51 through their relative closeness in a horizontal plane. Simultaneously, the stock is directed in an inclined direction in sliding clamping contact with the downstream surfaces of the guide members and is flexed transversely to locate the leading end S-l upwardly yfrom. the normal `longitudinal axis of the stock and upwardly from the horizontal plane defined by the ange horizontal portion 37 and the spacing blocks 43 and 44. As is appreciated, the longitudinal flexing of the stock as shown in FIGURE 3 is somewhat exaggerated for purposes of a better understanding of the invention, and in actual practice the longitudinal arching caused by transverse flexing of the stock may not be quite as great as that illustrated. However, .the important object attained by this invention is to deiiect the leading end S-1 of the stock transversely and upwardly from its normal longitudinal axis while clampingly holding the leading end in a ready and elevated position for advancement into contact with a point along 19a of the wheel cover 19.

It may thus be seen from FIGURES l and 3 that the guide members 48 and 49 are inclined in a horizontal direction with their entrant ends 48a and 49a relatively lower than the discharge ends 48!) and 49b, and that the is within a plane extending across the upper surfaces of the guide rods 48 and 49 tangentially thereto.

During operation of the die assembly 11 and advancement forwardly of the stock S `by suitable feed means, a predetermined length of stock is located between the lower die shaping surfaces 15, 16 and 22 and the upper die members 17 and 18. The die members are then advanced toward one another and the annular bead 20 on `the die member 17 first contacts the stock to restrain the same against outward movement from between the shaping surfaces, and essentially immediately thereafter the shearing surface 31 strikes the shearing surface 32 to sever the stock to be shaped from the continuous stock length passing through the ejection mechanism 10. During movement of the die members one toward the other the severed and leading end S-1 of the stock is firmly held in a down position against the surface 34 of the shear member 33 by the plunger shank 28 resiliently slidable in the shearing collar 30. After shaping of the work piece by the die members to essentially the coniiguration of the part 19, the die members are separated and the part 19 is disposed relative thereto cssentially as shown in FIGURE 2. Continued and automatic advancement of the stock through the ejection means with the leading end S-l of the stock elevated as shown and described causes said leading end to contact or strike generally midway of the cover segment 19a to drive the cover downstream or out from between the shaping dies. The process then continues as described.

It may now be seen that applicant has provided a novel ejection process wherein the stock to be shaped performs the ejection function without reliance upon knockout devices or related means. The apparatus disclosed is continuous and automatic and in normal circumstances requires no manual attention on the part of the operator. Hand removal of the formed part is eliminated land thereby the likelihood of workmen injuries is removed. Damage to the formed parts as often occasioned when prying tools are used for part removal is similarly eliminated, and it may further be seen that the instant apparatus is readily adjustable to properly elevate the leading end of the stock to any desired height. Means for this purpose may comprise shims S (FIG- URE 2) preferably located between the guide members 48 and 49 and the attaching means 50 therefor. On the other hand, it may frequently be found that the adjusting means 50 provides suitable variation in vertical adjustments of the guide members 48 and 49 so that the shims 55 would not be required.

As mentioned earlier, the use of the invention in connection with the forming of wheel covers in the first draw blank form indicated at 19` in FIGURES 1 and 2 is illustrative only, and the instant apparatus can well be employed for Iejection of other formed parts. In addition, various other changes and modifications can be made to the structures herein disclosed without departing from the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for ejecting a metal part formed from relatively flat stock in a shaping die, the improvement of a pair of transversely spaced and horizontally inclined rod members -mounted by the shaping die and providing guiding surfaces for contact wit-h the lower surface of the stock during advancement therealong, said stock having leading and trailing ends, and a single rod member transversely spaced -from and between the horizontally inclined rod members and having a vdischarge end lying with a horizontal plane passing through the inclined rod members to exert flexing forces against the leading end of the stock when passing between said single rod member and said inclined rod members, whereby the leading end of the stock is longitudinally deflected and transversely arched to horizontally align said leading end with the for-med metal part for contact therewith upon continued `:advancement o-f the stock.

2. In apparatus for ejecting a metal part formed from 'relatively flat stock in a shaping die, said stock having leading and trailing ends, the improvement of support means secured to the shaping die and having a horizontal portion extending outwardly therefrom, a first pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bar members attached to the support means, spacer means at opposite ends of the bar members, a second pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bar members secured to the spacer means and thereby vertically spaced from the first pair of bar members, Ia pair of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending guide rods attached to the s'irst pair of bar members and horizontally inclined with respect thereto, yand a guide rod transversely spaced from the pair of guide rods and secured to the second pair of bar lmembers to extend longitudinally between said rst and second pair of bar members, the end of said one guide rod adjacent the shaping die horizontally overlapping the ends of said pair of guide rods adjacent the shaping die Vwhile being transversely spaced therefrom, whereby the leading end of the stock is deflected longitudinally and transversely arched to horizontally align said end intermediate the height of the formed part for contact therewith upon longitudinal advance-ment of the stock to eject the formed part `from the shaping die.

3. In apparatus `for ejecting a wheel cover formed from relatively at stock in a shaping die, said stock having leading and trailing ends, the improvement of support means secured to the shaping die and having a horizontal portion extending outwardly therefrom, a hrst pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bar members attached to the support means, spacer means at opposite ends of the bar members, a second pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bar members secured to the spacer means and thereby vertically spaced from the first pair of lbar members, a pair of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending tguide rods attached to the first pair of bar members `and horizontally inclined with respect thereto, and a guide rod transversely spaced from the pair of guide rods and secured to the second pair of bar members to extend longitudinally between said first and secon-d pair of bar members, the end of said one guide rod adjacent the shaping die horizontally overlapping the ends of said pair of guide rods `adjacent the shaping die while being transversely spaced therefrom, whereby the leading end of the stock is deflected longitudinally and transversely arched to horizontally align said end intermediate the height of the .formed wheel cover for contact therewith upon longitudinal advancement of the stock to eject the wheel cover from the shaping ldie, the other end of said single guide rod being tapered to provide an entrant mouth of general wedge shape .in side elevation to guide the stock therebetween and along the guide rods.

4. In apparatus yfor ejecting a metal part formed from relatively flat stock in a shaping die, said stock having leading and trailing ends, the improvement of a plurality of transversely spaced first and second bar members supyported by said shaping die, said first bar members being horizontally inclined and providing guiding surfaces for contact with the lower sur-face of the stock during advancement therealong, said second bar member being spaced between said dirst bar members Iand having a discharge end lying within a horizontal plane passing through the inclined bar members to exert exing forces against the leading end of the stock when passing between said first and second bar members, whereby the leading end of the stock is longitudinally deliected and transversely arched to horizontally align said leading end with the formed metal part for contact therewith upon continued advancement of the stock.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,284,803 Smith et al Nov. l2, 1918 1,874,068 Walker Aug. 30, 1932 2,157,228 lBuccicone etal May 9, 1939 2,444,463 Nordquist July 6, 1948 2,489,507 Shapiro et al Nov. 29, 1949 2,679,8'16 Moore June 1, 1954 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR EJECTING A METAL PART FORMED FROM RELATIVELY FLAT STOCK IN A SHAPING DIE, THE IMPROVEMENT OF A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED AND HORIZONTALLY INCLINED ROD MEMBERS MOUNTED BY THE SHAPING DIE AND PROVIDING GUIDING SURFACES FOR CONTACT WITH THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE STOCK DURING ADVANCEMENT THEREALONG, SAID STOCK HAVING LEADING AND TRAILING ENDS, AND A SINGLE ROD MEMBER TRANSVERSELY SPACED FROM AND BETWEEN THE HORIZONTALLY INCLINED ROD MEMBERS AND HAVING A DISCHARGE END LYING WITH A HORIZONTAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE INCLINED ROD MEMBERS TO EXERT FLEXING FORCES AGAINST THE LEADING END OF THE STOCK WHEN PASSING BETWEEN SAID SINGLE ROD MEMBER AND SAID INCLINED ROD MEMBERS, WHEREBY THE LEADING END OF THE STOCK IS LONGITUDINALLY DEFLECTED AND TRANSVERSELY ARCHED TO HORIZONTALLY ALIGN SAID LEADING END WITH THE FORMED METAL PART FOR CONTACT THEREWITH UPON CONTINUED ADVANCEMENT OF THE STOCK. 